Happy New Year!

Hope that everyone has had a good start to 2011!
It has been a while since I have written. Not because I was bored and had nothing to write about, mind you.
Quite the opposite!
Here is the question of the year posed by a friend : "What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
Wow! That was fun to think about and here is my answer:  The wisest decision I made last year was to go to Convergence, the international weaving conference, held in Albuquerque in July.
And- here's the fun part- it has only just begun to play out!

 Some of the highlights of the conference were:
The class on digital photography taught  by Gregory Case
Meeting weaving superstars including Helene Bress, Richard Ashford and Barry Schacht
Spending time looking at displays and visiting with the charming Laverne Waddington

Conversation with a vendor who was selling her house nearby and arranging to see it
Volunteering in the Espanola Fiber Arts Center's booth and getting to know some of the members
Hearing talks by Irvin Trujillo and D.Y. Begay
Sitting in on the the rug auction
Purchasing a new drop spindle and getting a preliminary lesson on its use
Talking with the folks from Newton's Yarn Country, a fun place in southern California 
Meeting Weavolution founders and members
Being invited to weave in the Ashford booth

And while I was in New Mexico, I also:
Taught a successful inkle weaving class at the Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center with 9 students
Went on a tour of homes for sale in the area east of Albuquerque
Visited  Irvin and Lisa Trujillo at Centinela Traditional Arts in Chimayo
Spent time in Albuquerque with my friend Joanne and did some sightseeing with her

Salinas Pueblo Missions Ruins at Abo

Valles  Caldera National Preserve

Bandelier National Monument

Several opportunities arose as a result of  that trip:
I was asked to submit an article for "The Wheel" magazine, Ashford's Fibrecraft Magazine. This is a beautiful magazine by a company which is known to spinners and weavers around the world!!!
I was asked to weave some straps for Irvin and Lisa Trujillo to be considered for addition to Chimayo purses. For years I have been interested in the Chimayo weaving style, a tradition going back to the 1700's. These two are masters of the craft, keeping alive tradition and adding their own artistry and innovation. If you are not familiar with their work, I suggest you have a look at the Centinela website. Prepare to be dazzled!
The home tour resulted in my awesome husband and I buying a house!!!

So, to finish out the year, we drove from California to New Mexico to spend a few days and nights in our new house. It will soon be rented out to some lucky folks while we stay in California for a few more years working with our noses to the grindstone and planning our retirement and move to New Mexico. Here are a few happy pictures of our beautiful house, yard and future!

Back deck in July

Same deck in December with awesome husband

Happy me on the front steps in December

Future weaving studio!

Wishing everyone wise decisions, great opportunities and fun adventures in 2011!!!!